The Thieving Magpie
by kraftykathy
Summary: Natasha Yar is the happiest she has felt in her entire life. She has the job of her dreams and friends that are starting to feel like a real family. When the Enterprise encounters a tiny broken space vessel, dark memories threaten her joyful life. A true friend is what she needs to confront her past and face her deepest fears.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lt. Tasha Yar crept though the forest. Underfoot, the ground was soft moss grown over lava rock. She would have to mind her footing here. It would be all too easy to twist an ankle and where would that leave her defenses? The sound of a snapping branch caused her to stop. She crouched down low and looked around for movement in the trees. A dense grove of bamboo stood to the north of her. It would be a good place to hide in the shadows. Maybe she was being watched now. She stared at the stand of green bamboo trees for some time. After a few moments, she decided that she was alone. Only a fool would chose the bamboo grove as a hiding place The trees grew so closely together that a person would find it quite a challenge to move without causing the trees to sway. Their position would be betrayed.

Drifts of dry brittle branches littered the ground. Tasha stepped cautiously around the dead wood to avoid any unnecessary noise. The sky was overcast and the gloomy light filtered through a thin fog. The air felt damp and chill. Cobwebs clung to Tasha's hair and a couple of times she had to brush away a spider or two. She crawled over a hill under low bushes scaring up a family of birds that took to the air in a panicked flight breaking the preternatural silence of the forest. She cursed under her breath, knowing her positioned was likely betrayed due to her careless move. She froze for a second scanning the immediate landscape. Not that one could see far in the dense foliage of these surroundings. She moved faster to put some distance between herself and the bushes.

As the gloom of the forest thickened, the foliage changed from low bushes and skinny bamboo groves to much larger and ancient trees. The lack of light was going to make it difficult to see, but that would work to her advantage for the same reason. Tasha shuddered a little when she stumbled upon human skeletal remains. She stepped around them delicately and continued to make her way through the darkening forest. It was frightening but exhilarating, too. She felt like her nerve endings were crackling with electricity. She could understood what it was like to be both the hunter and the prey and it made her feel sharp witted, with all of her awareness in the present.

Tasha heard another snap and looked up towards the sound. A figure in black dropped from a branch above her. He landed on his feet behind her and threw his arms around her shoulders. Tasha let herself fall backwards into her attacker. He tumbled to the ground with her, losing his grip along the way. Tasha turned her fall into a reverse somersault and hopped onto her hands and feet like a cat about to pounce. She kicked her foot back and it connected powerfully with the man's lower leg. This did not slow him however, instead he reached out and grabbed her foot and twisted hard. Yar responded by rolling her body along with the leg twist. She was flat on her back and the attacker attempted to bring his foot down on her abdomen, but Tasha kicked up both feet into his groin.

As Tasha fought, she moved with the grace of a ballerina. Her body was long and lean, but athletic. There was an art to her movement as if an invisible symphony orchestrated every move with it's unheard rhythm and measure. Tasha was a long time student of martial arts and she used advanced Jujitsu to defend herself. Jujitsu is a martial art that is not about strength, but using the attacker's moves against him to gain the upper hand. She fought with graceful precision. Her attacker fell to the ground, temporarily incapacitated.

But this was not the end of the assault. A second man dropped from the tree and reached for her. Tasha grabbed his arm with both hands and tossed him over her shoulder. He landed on the ground with a soft thud, throwing out divots soft moss into the air. He kicked out his leg attempting to knock her off her feet but she jumped up avoiding the assault. He regained his feet and made another grab at her arm. This time she leaped up and threw her whole body weight onto his out-stretched arm. They both tumbled onto the loose moss. Her landing was softened by her ability to distribute her impact to her arms and legs therefore protecting the more delicate torso. She landed on the ground laying perpendicular to her attacker. She lifted one boot high and brought her heel down hard on his head.

By this time the first attacker had recovered from the groin kick and approached her cautiously. She rolled and jumped to her feet once again. She was going to have to get more aggressive in her tactics. She crouched low and knocked out the attackers feet with a swift kick. She threw herself down on the man, grabbing his arm and twisted his wrist back with one hand then she drove her elbow into his neck, rendering him immobile. Tasha lay on the ground panting for a moment before getting up. She looked down at the men lying on the moss covered ground dressed in black, like ninja fighters. Their forms became pixelated, flickering in and out of focus until finally they disappeared.

"Computer, end program." she said

The forest around her disappeared. She was in a black room with yellow intersecting lines. She walked to a doorway of the holodeck nestled in an arch and picked up a towel she had dropped there. She wiped perspiration from her face. In the arch was a computer console and a replicator.

"Water, cold " she stated to the replicator. A glass of water materialized on the tray. She picked it up and drank down the water.

She went to the console to chose another training program. As Chief of Security of the Enterprise, she took her job seriously, fitting in training sessions as frequently as possible - and she really enjoyed the workout! She could keep her senses sharp and pick up new tactics in the controlled environment of the holodeck. The variety of scenarios kept it fresh and exciting. Sometimes Tasha just couldn't believe how lucky she was. She wholeheartedly embraced this life she was living. Things had not always looked this bright. She began life as low as a human could possibly get. She came from Turkana IV and survived that hell of filth and hunger and rape. And now she was part of the crew of the Enterprise. Only it was more than just a crew. They were becoming her family.

Tasha picked a new training program, a desert setting with adobe structures and trenches. She looked at the scene before her and grinned beautifully. Life was a joy!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Data held up his violin, examining it carefully. He traced his left hand across it's surface while holding it by the neck with his right. He felt for any chips, cracks or flaws, but found it undamaged and in it's original pristine state. He plucked each string and made some adjustments with the keys until he was satisfied with the tuning. Gently he placed the violin in it's accustomed location on his shelf, surrounded by his few prized possessions. It's neighbors on the shelf were on odd collection. There was a large horn shaped pipe and a deer hunter hat A small collection of books lay there in a neat stack. They were primarily detective novels, particularly those written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his stories of the great Sherlock Holmes.

Data picked up the violin's bow next and spent some time examining it. He picked up a small round cake of rosin and rubbed the bow across it's side. Once he had applied the rosin, he pulled out a cloth and rubbed it down the bows length. Again he picked up the violin, walked across the room and seated himself in a straight backed chair in the middle of his sparsely furnished quarters

"Computer," Data said, "please provide full orchestral accompaniment for first violin. The piece is Rossini's La Gazza Ladra Overture."

Data chose this piece because he was intrigued with Rossini and thought him a perfect example of humanity's seemingly limitless capacity for creativity. The android accessed the profile of Rossini and was fascinated to discover a very interesting story regarding the writing of the overture of this opera semiseria. It was said that the producer locked Rossini in a room only a day before the production was to open. Rossini wrote the overture in this time apparently tossing the pages out the window for the copyists. Data thought this a testament of the amazing resourcefulness of the human race. They always exceeded any perceived expectations.

Data tucked the violin under his chin and touched the bow to the strings. The music began, softly at first. Data began to play with an expertise that matched a master violinist. His bow danced gracefully across the instrument like the fluttering of a birds wing. As the music progressed, the complexity and demand on first violin grew. Data worked with the precision of an athlete performing a series of perfectly choreographed moves. The music swelled to a spectacular crescendo, and the final rigorous demands of first violin arose with it.

A human observer would have felt the mirthful spirit at the beginning of the piece and the darker undertones towards the crescendo. Data did not feel these things of course. He did not feel anything. He performed the physical function of emulating specific violin masters, but could not feel the passion a human feels when engaged in such a creative process. The closest thing to emotion that Data felt was curiosity. Perhaps that is why he was so drawn to the pursuit of all aspects of human creativity in regards to the arts. What is the source of human creativity? Why does music move them so deeply? How does music evoke feelings such as joy or despair?

The piece ended and Data thought he might move on to Beethoven. Life on the Enterprise for the ship's Second Officer was always intriguing. Even these moments when he was off duty and in his quarters, he was constantly pursuing his many interests which aided his ability to understand the human experience.

Data's communicator sounded, "Lt. Commander Data to the Bridge." He acknowledged the request and then the android gently placed his violin back on the shelf and exited his quarters, his door sliding shut with a quiet swoosh.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Tasha exited holodeck 3 and entered the nearest turbolift . She just had time to run back to her quarters for a quick shower and coffee before it was time to take her post at Tactical on the Bridge. She felt very fine indeed after her early morning training session. She had finished showering and dressing and was seated in her dining area with a hot coffee. She had a Padd set on the table in front of her and was trying write a report on her abduction by the Ligonians. The abduction had started off as simply part of the Ligonian's extravagant idea of ceremony and a fascination with a female serving as Chief of Security, a role that Ligonians saw as traditionally male. But matters had become quite serious. She had ended up fighting a life or death battle with Lutor's wife to gain her freedom. No, never a dull moment here!

Tasha lifted her cup to her lips. "Lt. Yar report to the Bridge" sounded her communicator.

"On my way" she answered.

Fine. Her shift would have seen her on the Bridge within the hour any way, the report could wait. She would rather be on the Bridge, at any rate. That was much more interesting! She left her Padd on the table, stuck her cup into the dematerialization slot and rushed out the door.

Upon leaving her room she very nearly crashed directly into Lt. Commander Data, who just happened to be passing by the door to her quarters at that second. She tried to stop too quickly. Bumping into Data would have hurt! Unlike a human, Data's body was unyielding. Tasha took a stumbling step back, Data reached out and took her arm to steady her. So much for her athletic grace!

"Careful Lieutenant, " Data warned, "You should exercise greater caution. I would not want you to be injured."

"Sorry, sir." Tasha laughed at her own ungainliness. They walked side by side along the corridor towards the turbolift.

"You seem to be particularly happy today." Data observed, "Am I correct in my assumption?"

"Yes, sir. It was a very satisfying training session this morning. The new programs are excellent."

They reached the turbolift and entered. The doors slid shut and they stood there quietly for the moment.

'_Awkward turbolift silence.' _thought Tasha.

It wouldn't be awkward for Data, of course. He didn't feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. At least that is what he would say, thought Tasha. But there were times she wondered about his insistent claims of dettachment . She felt that she had a special insight when it came to Lt. Commander Data.

About a month ago the Enterprise had intercepted a science vessel that had infected much of the crew with the polywater virus. The affects were felt like extreme alcohol intoxication. This had led to Tasha seducing Data. She had felt terribly embarrassed afterwards. She had lost control, something she was not proud of. They frequently had to work together closely and she did NOT want this to affect her ability to carry out her duties! After Dr Crusher had administered her hypospray antidote, Tasha had told Data that '_It __never happened_'. She remembered the confused look he had given her.

Actually, it was a little amusing now that she had some time to think it through. The passage of a few weeks time was enough to get past the initial humiliation. It seemed that no one thought their absence was particularly strange that day. And besides, there were many other tales of inappropriate behavior that had been a direct result of the polywater virus. Dr. Crusher and the Captain had acted a little sheepish around each other in the aftermath, hadn't they? And at least it had happened in the privacy of her own quarters. She had heard tales of others who were not so lucky. Now THAT would have been embarrassing! And when she thought of all that had happened to her in life it certainly wasn't the worse thing that she had ever done. No, it was time to move on!

She gave Data a quick sidelong glance. They should talk about what happened. Data had taken her statement very seriously and had not brought up the subject since. In fact she swore he went out of his way to avoid offending her. Which would be funny for someone who often claimed social ineptitude.

The silence became too drawn out for Tasha. She started whistling a tune that had been stuck in her head all morning. After a moment she became aware that Data was staring at her.

"What's wrong?" Tasha asked.

"That tune," Data's eyes moved rapidly back and forth as if he was reading unseen text. "Ah, it is a showtune dated early 20th Century, Earth. The music is by Nacio Herb Brown and lyrics written by Arthur Freed. It was popularized by Gene Kelly in a musical of the same title."

"Amazing, Data I can't believe you've included showtunes in your memory database."

Data shrugged, "Music fascinates me. I have accessed a wide variety of music both Terran in origin and that of a wide variety of Federation Planets. If you wish, I could sing you a number from the Klingon musical _Heghlu 'meh QaQ jajvam. _It is the story of the legend of Kahless. "

Data looked at Tasha quite seriously, as if ready to break into Klingon song.

"Ah, that's alright. Maybe some other time?"

"You are certain? It is really quite fascinating. It is said to be a test of endurance to sit through a production of this particular musical. The score includes 64 original songs and takes 3 days to reach the conclusion."

Data looked at Tasha to ascertain that she was indeed uninterested in listening to his rendition of popular Klingon show tunes.

"As tempting as that is I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on your offer for now." Tasha squirmed a bit, but fortunately Data did not appear to notice.

Instead he continued, "I did not know you were interested in music, Lieutenant. You do not participate in any of the music programs available to crew members. "

"Sir, I love music, but I have no ear." Data glanced at Tasha's ears and looked at her questioningly.

Tasha explained " I mean I have no musical talent, I can't sing. My voice is like nails on a chalkboard, horrible to hear. Believe me." She smiled apologetically.

"Hm." said Data raising his eyebrows and making his little half smile.

The doors finally slid open and Tasha and Data left the turbolift, taking their posts on the Bridge. Tasha strode to her position at the center of the upper level of the horseshoe at the Tactical console. She punched in her indentification code and waited for sitrep. Data glided to his seat up front seated at Ops and looked on at Commander Riker and Captain Picard who appeared to be absorbed by the sight a small vessel on the view screen that seemed to be adrift in space, caught in a slow elliptical spin.

Riker turned to the newly arrived bridge crew and began his situation report. "We encountered this vessel at just before 0700 hrs. No distress signal detected, but I think it's pretty obviously in distress or abandoned." He walked towards the viewscreen, stopping by Data's station at Ops and hiking his foot up onto the console support arm. He leaned forward with his elbow propped on his knee and appeared to gaze contemplatively at the tiny lost ship.

Tasha didn't think it was too unusual. Occasionally they came across distressed vessels. It was the duty of Starfleet to explore in these cases and offer assistance if necessary. They would be cautious as always, but it appeared to be a routine case of someone in need of assistance.

"Look's like a malfunction in the vessels navigational system. She's floating high and dry." Geordi confirmed seated next to Data at Helm.

Riker turned back to Yar and nodded a greeting. "Lieutenant Yar, open hailing frequencies."

"Yes sir." Tasha tapped at her console touch screen. " Sir, I'm getting no response. Their communications system appears to be damaged, as well"

Data spoke up from his position at Ops "Sir, I am getting readings of four lifeforms on board."

Picard addressed Lt. Yar " I want a tractor beam locked on the vessel. I believe they are in need of our assistance."

"Aye sir. Tractor Beam locked on."

The tiny vessel's erratic movements stabilized on the view screen.

Picard turned to Riker. "Number One, I want you to lead an away team. Board the vessel and assess the situation."

"Yes, sir." he said " Data, Yar, you're with me."

Tasha and Data followed Riker back to the Turbolift and off of the Bridge. Replacement officers took up their posts.

Picard stood and watched the tiny vessel on the view screen before him.


End file.
